Expectations are many; avenues are way too few

The task entrusted, the confidence placed and the expectations of the voter is massive, mountainous and gigantic

The Government has been given only 1,826 days (five years) to undo what was mis-done, correct what was wrong done and do what was not done during 27,759 days (76 years). The Government is entrusted with the mandate to deliver unmet mountainous expectations and aspirations of a nation. The Government cannot afford to waste a single day or look for excuses and explanations. The Government has to work at a mega speed with a clear destination and direction

Aragalaya in 2022 and election in 2024

In 2022, people of all ranks and files from somewhere, anywhere, nowhere and everywhere gathered to demand and “send entire 225 Members of Parliament (MPs) out.” In 2024 the same people gathered to elect and “send 225 MPs in”. 

One columnist has put the change occurred on 14 November as “The much awaited miracle did happen”. This miracle was seen in: 

Aljazeera: Voters had said “enough is enough”, voting overwhelmingly “to take a chance on the NPP”. Sri Lanka’s leftist win sparks hopes, bridges old divides.

Times of India: President Dissanayake’s NPP claims landslide victory.

Reuters: Sri Lankan president’s coalition wins big majority in general election.

BBC: Landslide win for new Sri Lankan president’s left-leaning coalition.

The Hindu: President Anura’s ruling coalition wins big.

World Socialist website: Sri Lankan President Dissanayake’s JVP/NPP wins a landslide victory in parliamentary elections.

An election that raised expectations

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was introduced in 1978. The man who introduced the Constitution stated that what he couldn’t do is turn a man into a woman and vice versa. How much of the Republic was Democratic and Socialist? Human Rights, Free and Fair Elections, Equality, Rule of Law, Participation, Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of the Press, Minority Rights, Accepting Election Results, Political Tolerance, and Transparency are among the characteristics of Democracy. One can tick against each of these and find the answer. 

The same man called off the first general election which was due in 1982; charged leading political opponents as ‘Naxalaites’and put them behind bars. He called for a Referendum which was popularly known as the Pot Game (Kalagedi Sellama). The same Man added an additional Member to 225 Member Parliament. He, during a vote counting, turned the winner while lights were on into the loser when the lights went out. Since then, Elections have been fudged and marred by violence, intimidation, bribing and corruption. Elected were corrupt, wrong doers and criminals. That was the fate of the Democratic Republic.

Let us look at the Socialist Republic. After sweeping off the remnants of Socialist parties in the 1977 general election, no socialist party was elected to power till the last general election. In 1994, people saw a fresh wind blowing across the corridors but hopes were dashed sooner. 

The election held on 14 November was the 17th general election including the two general elections held for the State Council in 1931 and in 1936. There have been several Election Monitoring Missions. Commonwealth Observer Group, Centre for Monitoring Election Violence, PAFFREL, EU Election Observer Mission, The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) were among them. They confirmed a largely peaceful and orderly conduct of the Parliamentary Elections held without any major electoral violations or incidents of violence.

Election raised hopes among the citizens of the Republic of Sri Lanka that they would get an opportunity to taste a bit of democracy and socialism after 46 years of its introduction. 

Playing draught game  

Most of us Sri Lankans are familiar with playing the draught (checkers) game. In the draught game, each player strives to win by capturing (jumping over) or blocking the entire opponent’s pieces in such a way that he won’t make any move. The goal is to capture or block the opponent. 

British colonial masters offered us universal franchise in 1931. Our leaders offered us a ‘Draught (Checkers) Board’ with Draught Pieces. The colour of the pieces was not black and white but green and blue. We, Sri Lankan voters since then have been playing draught games. We have been changing green draught pieces to blue pieces and vice versa. The movements, the goal, capturing (jumping over), blocking the opponent in Draught Board Game all feature better in Sri Lankan elections. 

At the 14 November General election, Sri Lankan voters threw out the draught board along with green and blue draught pieces and replaced them with red pieces and with a new draught board. We have been playing the draught game for 76 years until the country ended up with a bankrupt economy.

The task ahead 

The elections ended up with an overwhelming monumental victory for the NPP. It means a stable Government. The task entrusted, the confidence placed and the expectations of the voter is massive, mountainous and gigantic. The nation responded peacefully to a change of hands; a change of leadership to a fresh beginning, a fresh approach and a fresh path indeed. Expectations are many and the avenues are way too few. The people cannot wait till 2048 walking on a suspension bridge (wel Palama). 

The Government has been given only 1,826 days (five years) to undo what was mis-done, correct what was wrong done and do what was not done during 27,759 days (76 years). The Government is entrusted with the mandate to deliver unmet mountainous expectations and aspirations of a nation. The Government cannot afford to waste a single day or look for excuses and explanations. The Government has to work at a mega speed with a clear destination and direction.

The President has emphasised this fact in his inaugural address to the newly elected MPs and the newly appointed Cabinet and in his Policy Statement delivered at the inauguration of the 10th Parliament. He had also stated that if the current Government fails to meet the expectations set by the people in the recent mandate, it could lead to citizens losing hope in envisioning a prosperous future while addressing the staff of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, after officially assuming duties as its Minister. 

Getting down to business

Since elected, the President, the Prime Minister and Ministers have met an assortment of officials, entrepreneurs, bankers, chambers, donors, delegates and delegations, value chain players, etc. Actions were taken and interventions were made. Cleansing the machinery and bringing the order has been commenced. Rule of men is being replaced with the rule of law. List can go on. Considering the confidence placed upon the Government by the constituency and the immediate urgent burning issues faced by the people, the Government has to pluck low hanging fruits first. However, the Government has to go much beyond interventions to satisfy momentary issues.

When one compares the enormity of the expectations, the Government is confronting a very difficult uphill task ahead. The road is jumpy and rocky. The terrain is difficult. The Government has to address issues convincingly and decisively producing definite results. The Government must act swiftly, directly, confidently and decisively in a way that shows its ability to make decisions and take actions quickly and effectively to solve the problems. Government is ought to take decisions and actions that are needed even though it is difficult or unpleasant. Government has to face and tackle a difficulty without shirking and to take definite and determined action. 

Believing on numbers

Government must be careful with numbers. Let me explain with a key area mentioned in the Policy Statement: “One such area is the tourism industry, where we can quickly gain momentum. We have already developed plans to attract 4 million tourists and generate an $ 8 billion economy through the tourism sector within the next 3 to 4 years.” 

We always count and compare the number of tourists arriving at Katunayake Airport. All foreign passport holders and white skins are not tourists. Numbers do not speak of the impact on employment, linkages, net foreign exchange gains, and on the local economy. Further, beach tourism is still prominent in Sri Lanka. We have not been able to attract visitors for other types of leisure, pleasure, health, wellness, fitness, sports, history, exploration etc. We are mainly looking after foreign visitors in star hotels feeding them with imported food and liquor and sleeping them on imported beds and bed linen. There are no proper records on the amount of Dollars received or stashed out abroad out of tourism earnings.   

Need for a roadmap

We often find ourselves becoming wrapped up in the miniscule happenings of the days and weeks. The tiny things often become mountainous. Taking a step back and seeing the bigger picture, they are not huge. Remember the story about the blind men and the elephant? Each of the men was only able to describe one small part, meaning that they were not able to experience or describe the whole elephant. In the bigger picture, basic tasks can be connected with a long term target.

A strategic roadmap is the need of the hour. In fact it is the need of yesterday. What is Sri Lanka today? What should it look like five years later? How do we get there? A roadmap with “sector development’ and ‘region development’. What can each sector/region contribute? Region development is not only for mitigation of disparities between regions (minus). It is to add and contribute to the national product (plus). 

The key points addressed related to the economy in the President’s Policy Statement are Stabilising the economy, Implementing agreements with IMF to stabilise the economy, Three new economic strategies, State intervention in market regulation to promote competition, Rapid development of tourism and Information Technology sectors, Leveraging strategic location to transform our country into a Maritime Hub, Bringing revolutionary change to the Agricultural sector, Taking steps to maximise value of mineral resources with support from private sector, Clean Sri Lanka” Project, Providing necessary economic support to eradicate poverty, Ensuring every citizen is taken care of. 

Policy makers and advisors have to study each of these key points and design a well knitted Roadmap rather than leaving them in a hotchpotch of uncoordinated ideas. Scattered ideas and thoughts must be put together and avoid contradiction and conflicts see the relevance and inter connectivity. Government has to be careful of going by sheer numbers and watching the daily movements, expectations, wishful thinking, popular moves, addressing issues partially, heeding to ill advice, listening to hosannas. As the saying goes one must take the bull by the horns and not by the tail.

Honesty, integrity, simplicity, loyalty, commitment, popularity, transparency are necessary ingredients. But, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. 

In conclusion of his Policy Statement the President has quoted Martin Luther King Jr.’s words: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

I wish to conclude this with the lyrics written by Sunil Ariyaratna and sung in the beautiful voice of Nanda Malini. “Poojasanaye Oba Hinduwa – Obata pudana Me Lokayamai heta- obata erehivee negitenne.”

(The writer is former Secretary of the Ministry of Plan Implementation. He can be reached on [email protected].)